The John R. Oishei Foundation announced Monday that it is awarding a three-year funding commitment to Read to Succeed Buffalo’s (RTSB) early childhood literacy programs. The three-year commitment totals $495,000.

“A main target of our investments is to decrease poverty and help individuals to become self-sufficient,” said Robert D. Gioia, president of The John R. Oishei Foundation. “Research proves, and common sense dictates, the most effective investment we can make as a community is in high quality early childhood education. What we have recently learned however, is we need to continue early learning supports right through age eight if we want our low-income students to succeed. RTSB is one of the few programs in our community that is building a continuum of high quality literacy supports for children from birth right through third grade.”

In October, Stuart Harper, Executive Director of the Buffalo City Mission, announced the launch of its’ Annual “One Mission, One Hope” Fall Campaign to raise critical funds necessary to sustain programs and services.

Homelessness is an issue that greatly affects our region. According to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, 50% of the homeless population in Buffalo is experiencing homelessness for the first time.

Today, however, there was good news. To the joy of the Mission friends and family, Harper revealed that the Buffalo City Mission “One Mission, One Hope” campaign topped its goal of $1.9 million by actually bringing in $2.12 million. The Fall Fundraising Campaign ran from October through the end of December. During this time, the Mission needs to raise approximately 35% of its’ annual operating budget.